Travel agents and tour operators are ignoring the potential of selling train travel as an alternative to flying, according to rail travel guru Mark Smith.
Smith set up a website giving comprehensive advice and information about travelling anywhere across the globe by rail called The Man in Seat Sixty-One.
Speaking at an Association of Independent Tour Operators and Travel Foundation responsible travel workshop on June 2, he said customers are turning back to rail to avoid the stress of flying and cut their carbon footprint.
“There are a lot of people who want to travel by train, but it is impossible to find anyone in the commercial world who will tell them how to do it,” he said.
“Travel agents just want to sell flights and online travel agents always start by asking ‘where do you want to fly to’.”
The trade and consumers need to be educated about train travel, he said.
“People only know their train to work or the Orient-Express, but most trains are somewhere in between.”
Smith said taking the train produces 90% less carbon emissions than flying, and can work out cheaper and, in some cases, quicker than air travel.
He advised delegates to go to bahn.de and raileurope.co.uk/trade to find fares and information.
Smith, who started the website as a hobby while working at the Department for Transport, has gained a loyal following and the site is now a popular resource for rail travellers.